Our sustainability policy

Sanders Design is a branding and web design studio in Cornwall. The place we work from is a big part of why environmental responsibility matters to us.

This policy explains the practical steps we take to reduce the impact of our work, from the studio we occupy to the servers that host our clients’ websites. It is written in plain language because we would rather do a small number of things properly than publish a long list of promises we cannot keep.

Our commitment

We aim to understand the environmental impact of how we work and reduce it year by year.

That means choosing renewable energy where possible, using less energy, reducing waste, working with responsible suppliers, and creating websites and printed materials that achieve their purpose without an unnecessarily heavy footprint.

Everyone working with Sanders Design has a part to play. This is not a policy designed to sit unread in a drawer.

A studio powered by renewable energy

Our studio, G14, is based in the Percy Williams Building at Krowji, Redruth’s creative workspace.

Krowji provides a well-managed and environmentally conscious place to work. Its measures include:

• An energy-efficient building with a recognised sustainable-building rating
• LED lighting controlled by motion sensors
• Solar panels supplying part of the building’s electricity
• Electricity sourced from renewable energy, including wind and biomass
• Sensible temperature controls to avoid unnecessary heating
• Electric vehicle charging points, covered cycle storage and reserved car-share spaces
• Nearby access to Redruth railway station and local bus services
• Recycling facilities for paper, glass, compostable waste and general waste
• A reuse scheme for surplus furniture and materials
• Wildlife-friendly planting, native trees, bird boxes, bat roosts and bat-sensitive lighting

We benefit directly from the work Krowji carries out to reduce the environmental impact of the site.

Lower-carbon web hosting

Every website we host runs on infrastructure powered by 100% renewable energy.

We choose hosting providers with energy-efficient data centres, where less electricity is lost through cooling and operational overheads. Our hosting partners also support wider environmental measures, including tree planting and carbon-offsetting programmes.

This means the websites we manage have a lighter environmental footprint than they would on conventional hosting infrastructure. It is a deliberate part of how we select our hosting partners.

Designing lighter websites

Every website uses energy each time it loads. Slow, oversized pages containing unnecessary content consume more data and more power on every visit.

The same work that improves website speed, usability and search performance can also reduce its environmental impact.

We:

• Build lean, efficient websites
• Compress and correctly size images
• Avoid unnecessary scripts, features and visual clutter
• Create websites that are easy to maintain and update
• Favour extending the useful life of an existing website over rebuilding it without good reason

The most sustainable website is often one that already exists, maintained properly and kept in good working order.

The footprint of AI

AI carries a real environmental cost that is easy to overlook, because it happens out of sight in large data centres that use a lot of energy and water. We would rather acknowledge it than pretend otherwise.

So we use AI deliberately rather than by default, keep it to the tasks where it genuinely helps, and rely on human judgement instead of generating output we simply discard. Used thoughtfully, it does better work and carries a lighter footprint. There is more on how and where we use it in our approach to AI.

Responsible print design

For printed work, we use local and environmentally conscious suppliers wherever practical.

We specify recycled or responsibly sourced paper when suitable, reduce unnecessary print quantities, and recommend digital alternatives where printed material would add little value.

Print still has an important role, but we believe every printed item should earn its place.

How we work day to day

Our everyday working habits matter as much as larger environmental decisions.

We reduce unnecessary travel by using video meetings where appropriate and combining site visits or client meetings into fewer journeys. When travel is necessary, we choose lower-impact options where practical.

Flexible working arrangements also help reduce unnecessary commuting.

Within the studio, we follow a print-only-when-needed approach and avoid producing paperwork that can be managed digitally.

Waste, equipment and suppliers

We use Krowji’s recycling facilities and keep single-use products to a minimum.

When computers or other equipment are no longer suitable for our work, we aim to pass them on for reuse or ensure they are recycled responsibly rather than sent to landfill.

When equipment needs replacing, energy efficiency and expected lifespan form part of the decision.

We also consider the environmental approach of suppliers, hosting companies, printers and other partners when choosing who we work with.

Keeping ourselves accountable

This policy reflects work that is still developing.

We would rather be honest about where improvements are still possible than present ourselves as environmentally perfect. We review this policy at least once a year, identify practical changes we can make, and update this page when our approach improves.

Suggestions from clients, suppliers and visitors are welcome. You can contact us on 01872 222299 or through our contact page.

Last updated: 23 July 2026.